TurtleMom's Space: Orthodox Christian

Concerning the Jesus Prayer: From the Jordanville Prayer Book (1996 ed.)

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:09:16 GMT

In the First Epistle to the Thessalonians the Apostle Paul says: Pray without ceasing. How, then, is one to pray unceasingly? By often repeating the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me." If one becomes accustomed to this appeal, great consolation and the need to continually make this petition will be felt within, and it will be carried on, as if of itself, within one.

Although in the beginning the enemy of the human race will offer hindrances to this, by causing great weariness, indolence, boredom, and over-powering sleep, having withstood all these with the help of God, one will receive peace of soul, spiritual joy, a benevolent disposition towards people, tranquility of thought, and gratitude toward God. In the very name of Jesus Christ a great and graceful power is inherent. Many holy and righteous people advise how one can often, almost without interruption, perform the Jesus Prayer.

Saint John Chrysostom says: "It is necessary for everyone, whether eating, drinking, sitting, serving, traveling, or doing anything, to unceasingly cry: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me,' that the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, descending into the depths of the heart, may subdue the pernicious serpent, and save and quicken the soul.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner": let all thine attention and training be in this. Walking, sitting, doing, and standing in church before the divine service, coming in and going out, keep this unceasingly on thy lips and in thy heart. In calling in this manner on the name of God thou wilt find peace, thou wilt attain to purity of spirit and body, and the Holy Spirit, the Origin of all good things, will dwell in thee, and He will guide thee unto holiness, unto all piety and purity."

Bishop Theophanes the Recluse: "In order to more conveniently become accustomed to the remembrance of God, for this the fervent Christian has a special means, namely, to repeat unceasingly a brief prayer of two or three words. Most often this is: 'Lord, have mercy!' or 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.' If you have not yet heard of this, then hear it now, and if you have not done it, then begin to do it from this time.

"Those who have truly decided to serve the Lord God must train themselves in the remembrance of God and in unceasing prayer to Jesus Christ, saying mentally: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.'

"Through such practice, by guarding oneself from distraction and by the preservation of the peace of one's conscience, it is possible to draw near to God and to be united with Him. For, according to the words of Saint Isaac the Syrian, 'Without unceasing prayer we cannot draw near to God' (St. Seraphim of Sarov)."

Saint John of Kronstadt likewise frequently counseled the doing of the Jesus Prayer.

= = = = =

As we enter the last 2 weeks of the Fast, it behooves us to redouble our efforts - fasting, prayer, almsgiving, attending services. Behaving like Orthodox Christians. Watching our tongues - what we say. Watching our thoughts - what we think. Yes, what we think. We should guard our thoughts. If a suspect thought appears, we should reject it immediately. Logismoi are the precursors of temptation and fall. The words of the serpent were the logismoi that instilled in Eve the desire to disobey the commandments of God.

Again, let us redouble our efforts. Try harder.

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

Thought from St. Isaac the Syrian

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 12:36:58 GMT

Blessed is the man who realizes his weakness, for this knowledge becomes the foundation, the root and the beginning of every boon. For as soon as a man understands and truly feels his weakness, he immediately puts a restraint on the vain pride of his soul which obscures reason, and thus he gains protection.
St. Isaac the Syrian

The Apostles Fast

Fri, 22 Jun 2007 19:06:33 GMT

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
~*~ Let the hands fast, by being free of avarice.
Let the feet fast, by ceasing to run after sin.
Let the eyes fast, by disciplining them not to glare at that which is sinful.
Let the ear fast, by not listening to evil talk and gossip.
Let the mouth fast from foul words and unjust criticism.
For what good is it if we abstain from birds and fishes,
But bite and devour our brothers? ~*~
~*~ St. John Chrysostom ~*~
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The Apostles's Fast this year lasts until June 30 / July 12. So we have 3 weeks left!

6/4/07 - The Apostle's Fast

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 09:57:28 GMT

Today begins the Apostle's Fast. For a change, Wikipedia actually has a fairly accurate description of it!

The Apostles' Fast, also called the Fast of the Holy Apostles, is a fast that was undertaken by the disciples of Jesus Christ following the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.
Having rejoiced for fifty days following Pascha (Easter), the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the apostles began to prepare for their departure from Jerusalem to spread Christ's message. As part of their preparation, they began a fast with prayer to ask God to strengthen their resolve and to be with them in their missionary undertakings.
The scriptural foundation for the Fast is found in the Synoptic Gospels, when the Pharisees criticized the apostles for not fasting, Jesus said to them, "Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast."^[1] In the immediate sense, Christ was referring to his being taken to be crucified; but in the wider sense it is understood in terms of his Ascension into heaven, and his commission to preach the Gospel, which can only be accomplished with prayer and fasting.
The tradition of the Fast has existed at least since Pope Leo I (461 AD), as is evidenced by his homilies. The Fast is thought to have been instituted out of thanksgiving to God for the witness of the apostles of Christ. With this Fast, believers express their thanks for the apostles' endurance of persecution during their mission.
The Apostles' Fast is not as severe as Great Lent or the Dormition Fast, but entails fasting from red meat, poultry, meat products, eggs, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. Fish, wine and oil are allowed on Saturdays and Sundays, and oil and wine are allowed on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
As with the three other Fasts of the Church year, there is a Great Feast that falls during the Apostles' Fast; in this case, the Feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist (June 24).
In some places, the services on weekdays during the Apostles' Fast are similar to the services during Great Lent (with some variations). Many churches and monasteries in the Russian tradition will perform the lenten services on at least the first day of the Apostles' Fast.
The length of the Fast is determined by the date of Pascha (Easter). Eight weeks after Pascha, comes the Sunday of All Saints. The next day, Monday, the Fast of the Holy Apostles begins. The Fast lasts until June 29, the Feast of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul. In other words, depending on the date of Pascha, the Apostles' Fast can begin as early as May 18 or as late as June 21. Thus, it may be as short as eight days or as long as forty-two days in duration.
In 1924, the Church of Greece and the Church of Constantinople, and later some other local churches, changed to a different calendar from other Orthodox Churches. Pascha often falls very late on the New Calendar, which can obliterate the Fast of the Holy Apostles entirely.

This year the fast will last a full 5 1/2 weeks. It ends on June 30 / July 12. So we will be vegetarians for the next 5 1/2 weeks!

Yesterday was the Sunday of All Saints.

"We remember all the saints – those who are already counted among the choir of the saints and those (like you and I) who are still in the process of becoming saints. My brothers and sisters, let us then follow Christ, let us begin again in this moment and in every moment to come to forsake our old life leaving it behind and instead to live the life of Christ." ( Archpriest David Moser - St Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church (ROCOR) - Homilies: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/propoved/
Website: http://stseraphimboise.org

5/10/07

Thu, 10 May 2007 09:59:17 GMT

Thursday, May 10, 2007 Christ is Risen!
The Holy Apostle Simon Zelotes
Kellia: Deuteronomy 3:12-20 Apostle: Acts 14:20-15:4
Gospel: St. John 9:39-10:9

The Interests of Others: Deuteronomy 3:12-20, especially vs. 18 LXX:
"The Lord your God has given you this land by lot; arm yourselves, every
one that is powerful, and go before your brethren the children of
Israel." Having led Israel to complete the conquest of the former
kingdoms of Sihon and Og, the two Amorite Kings, Moses then divided the
newly acquired land among elements of three of the twelve tribes of
Israel: Reuben, Gad, and a portion of the tribe of Joseph. The latter
he refers to as "the half-tribe of Manasseh" (vs. 13), for Manasseh was
one of the two sons of Joseph (Gen. 46:20). The Manassites from the
time of the Exodus functioned as a tribe in their own right, though they
were regularly referred to as a "half-tribe" [of Joseph].

The allotment of the territory that had lain within the kingdom of
Og was specifically assigned to two Manassite clans, Machir and Jair
(compare vss. 14-15 with Num. 32:40-41). From the peoples of the three
tribes who were assigned land within the trans-Jordan area, Moses
further required strong detachments of fighting men to lead the invasion
into the lands west of the Jordan (Deut. 3:18-20). These powerful
warriors would not be free to return to their families and new
possessions until the other tribes were at rest on their assigned
allotments in the western portion of the Promised Land. God expected
mutual support among His People.

The present reading is a forceful reminder for all who are born anew
into the Church of Christ: we are members one of another and, as such,
we ought naturally to act in mutual support of our fellow Christians.
As St. Paul teaches: "Let each of you look out not only for his own
interests, but also for the interests of others" (Phil. 2:4). Reading
further in his Epistles, we discover that the Apostle's model for
self-giving in the Church is none other than the Lord Jesus, our God and
Savior Himself (Phil. 2:5-11), for "...though He was rich, yet for [our]
sakes He became poor, that [we] through His poverty might become rich"
(2 Cor. 8:9).

Christ supernaturally enables the Faithful to act in love and concern
for the brethren in the Church, as the Romanian theologian, Dimitru
Staniloae states: "The holiness of Christ as man is available to all,
and is directed actively towards all....The saint is the man 'for' men,
the man who is a stranger to every kind of selfishness. " While
"friendship after the flesh is very easily destroyed on some slight
pretext, since it is not held firm by spiritual perception," as St.
Diadochos of Photiki has shown, yet, "when a man begins to perceive the
love of God in all its richness, he begins also to love his neighbor
with spiritual perception."

The Desert Fathers provide us with striking examples of such
self-giving. Of Abba Agathon who forced himself to fulfill all the
commandments, it was said that, "coming to the town one day to sell his
wares, he encountered a sick traveler lying in the public place without
anyone to look after him. The old man rented a cell and lived with him
there, working with his hands to pay the rent and spending the rest of
his money on the sick man's needs. He stayed there four months till the
sick man was restored to health. Then he returned in peace to his cell."

The Prophet Moses imposed the interests of others as a Divine
commandment on the first tribes to receive allotments of land. Our Lord
takes us to the root of mutual caring: "If a man love Me, he will keep
My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and
make Our abode with him." Pursuit of the interests of others becomes
natural in us through the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit, for He
awakens love for Christ in our hearts and makes Christ Jesus present
there at all times to stir up in us the "love of God in all its richness."

Stir up, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the wills of Thy faithful people, that
they, loving Thee above all things, may plenteously bring forth the
fruit of good works to Thy glory and praise.
The above is from Dynamis!

Sunday of Forgiveness

Sun, 18 Feb 2007 12:47:26 GMT

Let us all hasten to the subjugation of the flesh by abstinence, as we approach the divine battlefield, the battlefield of blameless fasting. Let us pray the Lord, our Savior, in tears and prayers, turning away completely from sin, and crying, “We have sinned
against Thee, O Christ, the King. Save us, therefore, as of old Thou didst save the people of Nineveh; and make us partakers of Thy heavenly kingdom, O compassionate One.”

If I were to imagine all my sins deserving all punishment, I would despair of myself, O Lord Savior; for by them have I disobeyed thy noble commandment, wasting my life in extravagance. Wherefore, I beseech Thee to purify me with Thy showers of forgiveness, and lighten me with fasting and supplication; for Thou alone art compassionate; and reject me not, O all-bountiful and of transcendent goodness.

Let us begin the season of fasting with rejoicing, giving ourselves to spiritual strife, purifying soul and body, fasting from passions, as we fast from foods, faring on the virtues of the Spirit, which, if we continue to long for, we shall all be worthy to behold the most solemn Passion of Christ, and the holy passover, rejoicing with spiritual joy.

(Stichera from the Triodion for Forgiveness Vespers)

Forgive me, my brothers and sisters, for any offences I have committed against you.

I pray that God will forgive us all and bring us to see the Holy Pascha of Christ.

Where the Sun Is . . .

Tue, 16 Jan 2007 10:10:25 GMT

When you are praying alone, and your spirit is dejected, and you are wearied
and oppressed by your loneliness, remember then, as always, that God the
Trinity looks upon you with eyes brighter than the sun; also all the angels,
your own Guardian Angel, and all the Saints of God. Truly they do; for they
are all one in God, and where God is, there are they also. Where the sun is,
thither also are directed all its rays. Try to understand what this means.

St. John of Kronstadt

A Clean Conscience

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 00:35:40 GMT

"One should have a conscience which is clean and candid, as the Apostle
says: 'Herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of
offence before God and men (Acts 24:16); for we trust we have a good
conscience, in all things willing to live honestly (Heb. 13:18).' For just
as it is impossible for rain to fall without clouds, so too without a good
conscience is it impossible to be well pleasing to the Lord. What is made
manifest is light, and what is not made manifest is dark; therefore let us
reveal to our father not only what we say, but also what we think. And there
will come a time when we shall be judged not according to the book of
knowledge and understanding, but according to the book of conscience."

Abbot Nazarius.

Homily on the First Sentence of the Bible (St. Nikolai [Velimirovich])

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 21:02:30 GMT

HOMILY
on the joyful revelations in the first sentence of the Bible
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Genesis 1:1).
How compact and full is God's every word! It is like folded linen, which can be carried under the arm and spread upon the grass over a large area. How many, many priceless good things does this word of God reveal to us: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. First of all, it shows us that God is the only eternal and uncreated One. And this first revelation brings about in us the first inexpressible joy. In this whirlpool of change and transience, we are inexpressibly happy that our Creator is beyond change and transience. It further tells us that the one and only good God is the Creator of the world, and since He is the Creator, He is also both the Almighty and the Provider. And this second revelation brings about in us a second inexpressible joy. The world did not proceed out of chaos or chance, without thought and purpose, rather it proceeded from the All-wise God, omniscient and most-merciful, Who is in control of it and is guiding it toward its intended goal. It further reveals to us that this world had a beginning, and consequently it will have an end. And this third revelation brings about in us inexpressible joy. For it would be sad if this world were eternal, and if all its goals, immediate and distant, were to be found only within itself. This would indeed cause a whirlpool in the mind of the intelligent, and sadness in the heart of the righteous. It finally points out to us that God created two worlds, the heavenly and the earthly, or the incorporeal and the corporeal. And this fourth revelation brings us a fourth inexpressible joy. As we now raise our gaze to the heights and rejoice in the sun, moon and stars above our heads, so we can raise our spirit to the spiritual world, toward the angelic world, which is akin to us but purer and brighter than us. We rejoice, for we know that there is a world better than ours, which we will also enter and, like weary travelers, return home and find rest. Oh, how sadly would men's gaze wander around the world if this were the only world and there were no starry heavens! And how sorrowfully would the spirit of man wander in the material world if there were not a spiritual world, the heavenly!
O Most-gracious Lord, glory to Thee and praise.
To Thee alone be glory and praise forever. Amen.
From: The Prologue from Ohrid for Dec 1; St. Nikolai Velimirovich

The Apostles Fast

Fri, 23 Jun 2006 22:12:16 GMT

"Beware of limiting the good of fasting to mere abstinence from meats. Real fasting is alienation from evil. 'Loose the bands of wickedness.' Forgive your neighbor the mischief he has done you. Forgive him his trespasses against you. Do not 'fast for strife and debate.' You do not devour flesh, but you devour your brother. You abstain from wine, but you indulge in outrages. You wait for evening before you take food, but you spend the day in the law courts. Woe to those who are `drunken, but not with wine.' Anger is the intoxication of the soul, and makes it out of its wits like wine." --St. Basil [in his homilies on the Holy Spirit]

" The Apostles’ Fast is one that was actually engaged in by the Disciples of Christ following the Descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Having rejoiced throughout the fifty days following Pascha, the Resurrection of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Apostles began to prepare for their departure from Jerusalem to carry Christ’s message to the far corners of the world. As part of their preparation, they began a fast with prayer to ask God to strengthen their resolve and to be with them in their missionary undertakings. It is this fast that we ourselves participate in when we observe the Apostles’ Fast. But we do this not only because we honor the Apostles and their sacrifice. We do this by way of preparing ourselves to be sent as missionaries into our world to reflect and radiate Christ to those around us."
[Dr. Alexander Roman - http://www.unicorne.org/orthodoxy/articles/articles_a/apostles.htm]

We are five days into the Apostles Fast. For those on the new calendar, it will end on June 30. For those of us on the old calendar, it will end on July 13. This was the first fast of the Church.

From: Speaking in Tongues, an Orthodox Perspective

Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:30:04 GMT

"What then is the Orthodox Christian perspective on Glossolalia? The Orthodox Christian viewpoint on Glossolalia is based on St. Paul's words in chapter fourteen of the same Epistle: "I thank God that I speak in strange tongues much more than any of you. But in Church worship I would rather speak five words that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thou sands of words in strange tongues." (verses 18-19) In chapter thirteen, St. Paul says, "Set your hearts, then, on the more important gifts. Best of all, however, is the following way." Then St. Paul proceeds and shares with his readership the greatest gift of all - Love!

"The Orthodox Church does not rule out Glossolalia. She simply does not regard it as one of the important ones. Better to "speak five words that can be understood ... than speak thousands of words in strange tongues." This is the Orthodox Christian viewpoint."

To read the entire article, go HERE

Hymn to God - St. Gregory of Nazienzus

Sun, 14 May 2006 12:47:13 GMT

St. Gregory of Nazianzus

II.
HYMN TO GOD.

1.

O Thou, the One Supreme o'er all!
For by what other name
May we upon Thy greatness call,
Or celebrate Thy fame?

2

Ineffable! to Thee what speech
Can hymns of honour raise?
Ineffable! what tongue can reach
The measure of Thy praise?

3.

How, unapproached, shall mind of man
Descry Thy dazzling throne;
And pierce, and find Thee out, and scan,
Where Thou dost dwell alone?

4.

Unuttered Thou! all uttered things
Have had their birth from Thee:
The One unknown! from Thee the springs
Of all we know and see!

5.

Mindful, and mindless, all things yield
To Thy parental sway
For Thou to all art life and shield:
They honour and obey.

6.

For round Thee centre all the woes
Of night and darkling day,
The common wants and common throes;
And all to Thee do pray.

7.

And all things as they move along
In order fixed by Thee,
Thy watchword heed, in silent song
Hymning Thy majesty.

8.

And lo! all things abide in Thee,
And through the complex whole,
Thou spread'st Thine own Divinity,
Thyself of all the goal.

9.

One Being Thou, all things, yet none,
Nor one nor yet all things;
How call Thee, O mysterious One?
A worthy name who brings?

10.

All-named from attributes Thine own,
How call Thee as we ought?
Thou art unlimited, alone,
Beyond the range of thought.

11.

What heaven-born intellect shall rend
The veiling clouds above?
Be Thou propitious! ever send
Bright tokens of Thy love!

12.

O Thou the One Supreme o'er all!
For by what other name
May we upon Thy greatness call,
Or celebrate Thy fame?

Songs and Hymns of the Earliest Greek Christian Poets
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/chatfield/greeksongs.h012.html

On the Psalms

Fri, 12 May 2006 15:57:03 GMT

From the Letter of St. Athanasius to to Marcellinus on The Psalms

SON, all the books of Scripture, both Old Testament and New, are inspired by God and useful for instruction[2 Tim 3:16], as it is written; but to those who really study it the Psalter yields especial treasure. Each book of the Bible has, of course, its own particular message: the Pentateuch, for example, tells of the beginning of the world, the doings of the patriarchs, the exodus of Israel from Egypt, the giving of the Law, and the ordering of the tabernacle and the priesthood; The Triteuch [Joshua, Judges, and Ruth] describes the division of the inheritance, the acts of the judges, and the ancestry of David; Kings and Chronicles record the doings of the kings, Esdras [Ezra] the deliverance from exile, the return of the people, and the building of the temple and the city; the Prophets foretell the coming of the Saviour, put us in mind of the commandments, reprove transgressorts, and for the Gentiles also have a special word. Each of these books, you see, is like a garden which grows one special kind of fruit; by contrast, the Psalter is a garden which, besides its special fruit, grows also some those of all the rest.
http://www.athanasius.com/psalms/aletterm.htm

Hymn by St. Gregory Nazienzen

Wed, 10 May 2006 22:17:12 GMT

HYMN TO CHRIST

1.

O Thou, the One Supreme,
O thou, the deathless King,
Be Thou my only theme:
Grant me Thyself to sing.
To Thee the hymn, to Thee the praise,
Celestial choirs for ever raise.

2.

For Thee the ages run
In order as was given;
For Thee shines forth the sun,
The day-born eye of heaven:
For Thee the moon, and grand array
Of stars, hold on their nightly way.

3.

With reasonable soul
For Thee learns favoured man
His passions to control,
And the Divine to scan;
For Thou of all Creator art,
Thou madst the whole and every part.

4.

All march in ordered band:
O'er all Thou hold'st the reins:
All creatures of Thy hand
Thy Providence sustains.
For Thou the word didst speak--'twas done--
That Word of Thine is God the Son.

5.

For of same honour He,
Thine own begotten Son,
In form and quality
With Thee the Father one:
Who placed all things in harmony,
That over all He King might be.

6.

And all Thy works infolding
In bonds of love and truth,
The Spirit all-upholding,
Renews creation's youth
Foreseeing, He for all provides,
And Guardian over all presides.

7.

Thee, Thee, the Triune King,
The One Eternal Lord,
Thee evermore I'll sing,
By earth and heaven adored,
The Three in One, the One in Three,
The ever-living Trinity.

8.

Immovable of mind,
Of ways past mortal ken,
The boundless, undefined,
Wisdom's deep origin,
Upholder of the heavenly towers,
Ruler of all created powers.

9.

Beginning none, nor end:
The self-sprung Light art Thou:
We cannot comprehend,
But to Thy Brightness bow,
Whose eye, repelling mortal gaze,
All things above, below, surveys.

10.

Unseen, yet ever near,
Father, propitious be:
This my petition hear,
This boon accord to me:
That Light to serve through endless day,
And have my sins all washed away;

11.

That I, with conscience clear
From every evil thought,
May love with filial fear,
And worship as I ought,
Pure holy hands and heart upraising,
And Christ the Lord for ever praising.

12.

To Thee I bend the knee;
When He shall come, grant me,
That I His glory see,
That I His servant be:
When He shall come--shall come again;
When He shall come--shall come to reign.

13.

Father, propitious be!
On me Thy mercy show!
Bow down Thine ear to me,
On me Thy grace bestow;
For Thine the glory, Thine the grace,
While countless ages run their race.

Songs and Hymns of the Earliest Greek Christian Poets, Gregory Nazianzen
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/chatfield/greeksongs.h012.html

On the Lord's Day

Sun, 07 May 2006 11:27:57 GMT

On the Lord's own day gather yourselves together and break bread and give thanks, first confessing your transgressions, so that your sacrifice may be pure. Let no man who has a dispute with his fellow join your assembly until they have been reconciled, so that your sacrifice may not be defiled; for it was this sacrifice that was spoken of by the Lord; "In every place and at every time offer Me a pure sacrifice; for I am a great king, says the Lord, and My name is wonderful among the nations."
The Didache or the Teachings of the Lord to the Gentiles by the 12 Apostles
http://tinyurl.com/gbmxp

Verses from Thomas Sunday

Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:50:45 GMT

When the doors were shut and the Disciples assembled, Thou suddenly entered O All powerful One, Jesus, our God. Thou didst stand in their midst, gave them peace and filled them with the Holy Spirit. Thou didst order them to remain and on no account to leave Jerusalem until they had been clothed with power from on high. Therefore we cry to Thee: Our Illumination, our Resurrection and our Peace, glory to Thee’.

Eight days after your Rising, Lord, Thou didst appear to Thy Disciples in the place where they were gathered, and having said to them ‘Peace be unto thee’, Thou didst show Thy hands and Thine immaculate side to the unbelieving Disciple. But he was convinced and cried to you ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’

Thomas, called Twin, was not with them, O Christ, when Thou didst enter when the doors were shut; therefore he did not believe what was told him confirming faith from unbelief. But Thou didst not refuse, O Good One, to show him Thine immaculate side, and the wounds in Thy hands and feet. But he, having handled and seen, confessed Thee to be not simply God and not merely man, and he cried ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

As the Disciples hesitated, O Saviour, Thou camest on the eighth day, where they were gathered. Thou didst give them peace and cried to Thomas, ‘Come here, Apostle, handle the palms in which they fixed the nails’. O excellent unbelief of Thomas, which led the hearts of the faithful to knowledge; and with fear he cried, ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

After Thy Rising, Lord, when Thy Disciples were gathered together and the doors were shut, Thou stoodst in the midst and gave them peace. But Thomas too, convinced by the sight of your hands and side, confessed Thee to be the Lord and God who saves those who hope in Thee, Lover of mankind.

When the doors were shut, Jesus came to the Disciples and gave them fearlessness and peace. Then he said to Thomas, ‘Why dost thou not believe me, that I have risen from the dead? Bring Thy hand here, and put it into my side, and see: for by Thy not believing, all have learnt both my Passion and my Resurrection, and to cry, ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

When the doors were shut, Thou camest O Christ to Thy Disciples. Thomas, by divine dispensation, was not with them then; for he said ‘I will not believe, unless I too see the Master; see the side from which came the blood, the water, baptism; see the wound by which the deep wound, humanity, was healed; see that he was not like some spirit, but flesh and bones’. O Lord who trampled on death, and satisfied Thomas, glory to Thee.

O Lord, when doors were shut you came in the unbearable blaze of Thy Godhead and standing among Thy Disciples Thou didst bare Thy side. Thou didst show them the scars of the wounds in Thy hands and feet, and banishing their dejection Thou didst cry out clearly: ‘The way Thou seest me, my friends, I bear, not a spirit’s nature, but the flesh which I assumed’. To the doubting Disciple, ‘thou wert ready to handle me with dread’, he said, ‘thou investigatest all things, come then, do not hesitate’. But he, sensing with his hand your double being, with fear cried out in faith: ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee.’

‘Touch my side with thy hand, Thomas, ‘Christ says, ‘and come, handle the marks of the nails; investigate with faith and become faithful to me. Be not faithless.’ But Thomas, as he touched the Master with his finger, cried out aloud: ‘Thou art my Lord and my God. O Compassionate, glory to Thee!’

When the doors were shut and the Disciples assembled, the Saviour came where they were gathered; and standing among them He says to Thomas: ‘Come, handle Me, and see the marks of the nails; stretch out thy hand and touch My side, and be not faithless, but with faith proclaim My Resurrection from the dead.’

O amazing wonder! Unbelief has engendered firm faith for Thomas, who said ‘Unless I see, I will not believe’, having handled the side, acknowledged as God incarnate the same Son of God: he recognised that he had suffered in the flesh; he proclaimed the risen God and he cried in shining tones ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

O amazing wonder! The grass which touched the fire is safe: for Thomas having put his hand into the fiery side of Jesus Christ, God, was not burned up by his handling; for he fervently changed the doubt of his soul into true faith. He cried from the depths of his soul ‘Thou art my Master and my God, Thou who have been raised from the dead, glory to Thee.

O amazing wonder! John leaned on the breast of the Word, but Thomas was found worthy to handle his side. But the former with awe drew thence the depths of Theology, the divine dispensation; the latter was found worthy to initiate us, for he clearly provided proofs of Thy Rising, as he cried out ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

O lover of mankind, great and immeasurable is the multitude of Thy mercies; for Thou endured being struck by the Jews, handled by the Apostle and investigated by those who reject Thee. How didst Thou become incarnate? How were Thou crucified, Thou who art sinless? But make us understand, as Thou did Thomas, so that he cried to Thee ‘My Lord and my God, glory to Thee’.

While the grave was sealed, Christ God, Thou didst dawn as life from the tomb, And while the doors were shut Thou didst come, the Resurrection of all, to Thy Disciples, through them renewing a right spirit for us, according to Thy great mercy.

Adapted from the Vespers Service for Thomas Sunday
http://www.anastasis.org.uk/ThomasSun.htm

Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom

Sat, 22 Apr 2006 20:43:20 GMT

The Catechetical Homily of St. John Chrysostom

The Catechetical Homily of our father among the saints, John Chrysostom, archbishop of Constantinople, on the holy and light-bearing Day of the most glorious and saving Resurrection of Christ our God.

If any be devout and God-loving, let him enjoy this fair and radiant triumph. If any be a good and wise servant, let him enter rejoicing into the joy of his Lord. If any be weary of fasting, let him now receive his reward. If any have labored from the first hour, let him receive today his rightful due. If any have come at the third hour, let him feast with thankfulness. If any have arrived at the sixth hour, let him in no wise be in doubt, for in no wise shall he suffer loss. If any be delayed even until the ninth hour, let him draw near, doubting nothing, fearing nothing. If any have tarried even until the eleventh hour, let him not be fearful on account of his lateness; for the Master, Who is jealous of His honor, receiveth the last even as the first. He giveth rest to him that cometh at the eleventh hour, as well as to him that hath labored from the first hour; and to the last He is merciful, and the first He pleaseth; to the one He giveth, and to the other He bestoweth; and He receiveth the works, and welcometh the intention; and the deed He honoureth, and the offering He praiseth. Wherefore, then, enter ye all into the joy of your Lord; both the first and the second, receive ye your reward. Ye rich and ye poor, with one another exult.

Ye sober and ye slothful, honor the day. Ye that have kept the fast and ye that have not, be glad today. The table is full-laden, delight ye all. The calf is fatted; let none go forth hungry. Let all enjoy the feast of faith, receive all ye the riches of goodness. Let no one bewail his poverty, for the universal kingdom hath been revealed. Let no one weep for his transgressions, for forgiveness hath dawned from the tomb. Let no one fear death, for the death of the Saviour hath set us free. He hath quench by it, He hath led hades captive, He Who descended into hades. He embittered it, when it tasted of His flesh. And foretelling this, Isaiah cried: "Hades," he saith, "was embittered when it encountered Thee below." It was embittered, for it was abolished. It was embittered, for it was mocked. It was embittered, for it was slain. It was embittered, for it was overthrown. It was embittered, for it was fettered. It received a body and encountered God. It received earth, and met heaven. It received that which it saw, and fell to what it did not see. O death, where is thy sting? O hades, where is thy victory?

Christ is risen, and thou art cast down.
Christ is risen, and the demons are fallen.
Christ is risen, and the angels rejoice.
Christ is risen, and life flourisheth.
Christ is risen, and there is none dead in the tombs.

For Christ, being risen from the dead, is become the first-fruits of them that have fallen asleep. To Him be glory and dominion unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers by the Lake by Nikolaj Velimirovic #33

Sun, 16 Apr 2006 22:33:13 GMT

XXXIII

My hope awaits You, Lord.

Expecting You is the only content and meaning of my Tomorrow and the Day after Tomorrow.

The grass expects the dew and is not disappointed. The mountain expects the thunder, and is not disappointed. The mole in the ground expects its meal, and is not disappointed. You fulfill the expectations of all beings.

I am expecting You, and You are coming to meet me. With the same haste that I am approaching You, You are coming toward me.

What is Tomorrow, children of earth, except your hope. If you eradicate all your hope, your desire to see Tomorrow dawn will die.

Do not grumble against Heaven because It does not fulfill all your hopes. Grumble against yourselves, because you do not know how to hope. Heaven does not fulfill hopes but hope. The most sublime and steadfast hope Heaven always fulfills. Do not grumble against Heaven because It does not see the benefits for your family and your factions and enter into your intrigues against one another. Heaven is discerning and merciful. It is discerning for anything good in any faction, and is merciful towards your infirmity, provided that good will accompanies it.

My hope is not an inkling but a certainty that You will come. You promised, and I bear the seal of Your promise in my soul. If You have not come yet, it is not Your fault but mine. You are tender and compassionate, and would not wish to make me ashamed of my unpreparedness. Therefore, You approach slowly, and continuously announce Your coming.

Hopelessness sits idle. But my hope cleans and washes continuously; it airs out and censes the quarters where it will receive You. And it frets day and night lest it forget anything whatsoever that might be pleasing to You. And it continuously calls upon the angels and the saints, the mystery-seers, to show it how to make its cave like Heaven.

My hope has no other partners. I have chased out of myself all other hopes as proven imposters. And now in their place there sprouts only one hope, which awaits You.

When You come You will bring me the richest gifts. With You, O Victorious One, will come my victory over all boredoms and worries. With You will come light, and health, and strength, and wisdom and the complete fulfillment of all human expectations from the beginning to the end of time.

In truth, the people with many hopes, that exclude You, sit on the mountain and wait for the sun to rise from the West.

But I stand facing the East, and I know for certain that the sun will soon be born. For I see the dawn becoming rosy.

Others plant dry rods in the ground, and hope for greenery and fruit. But over my field I sowed living seed, which is turning green and bearing fruit.

My hope in You is not a myth but a certainty--as certain as the fact that the sun must rise from the East and that good seed, when sown on good soil, must sprout.

The field is Yours, and You are the sower and the seed.

Come, O Lord, my hope awaits You!

http://www.sv-luka.org/praylake/pl33.htm

Homily - About Joy After Sorrow

Thu, 13 Apr 2006 13:47:08 GMT

About joy after sorrow

"So you also are now in anguish. But I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice" (St. John 16:22).

The father steps up to the gallows and his sons are crying around him. Instead of the sons comforting him, he comforts his sons. Something similar to this happened to the Lord and His disciples. Walking toward His bitter death, the Lord is more saddened because of the grief of His disciples, rather than by that which He has to endure. He caresses them with consolation and encourages them with the prophecy of the new and impending vision: "But I will see you again." This is a prophecy about the resurrection. Many times our Lord prophesied His death, but when He prophesied His death, He also prophesied His resurrection. Nothing unforeseen ever did happen to Him. He did not prophesy about Himself only, but also about them [the disciples]. They will be in great sorrow as a woman when she gives birth and endures pain. As a woman forgets her pain and rejoices when she gives birth "for a child has been born into the world" (St. John 16:22), so will it be with them. In their consciousness Christ the Lord was not completely in the form of the God-Man. As long as they had known Him as a sufferer and mortal man, they only knew Him partially; until then, the pain of birth lasts in their souls. But when they see Him again, resurrected and alive, miraculous and almighty, Lord over all things in heaven and on earth, the pain and sorrow will cease and joy will appear in their hearts. For Christ will be completely formed in their consciousness as the God-Man and then they will know Him in His fullness and in His totality. Only then will He be totally born for them.

So with us brethren, as long as we know Him only from His birth to His death on Golgotha, we know the Lord Jesus partially. We will know Him completely only when we know Him as the Resurrected One, the Victor over death.

O Lord All-victorious, have mercy on us and by Your resurrection cause us to rejoice as You comforted and made joyful Your disciples.

To You be glory and thanks always. Amen.

From: St. Nicholai Velimirovich: The Prologue from Ochrid for 31 March

On the Cross - Gerontissa Gavriella

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:38:01 GMT

"As I have been telling you, we should take all our sorrow and place it at the Feet of Christ. Because He suffered on the Cross for our sins, and for our sorrows, and for our problems, and for all the gloom of our souls. For everything! And when you remember that the Blood of our Lord is cleansing us from everything, that is the end of it. Nothing of these exists anymore. If you take the time to think through this thoroughly, then you will understand. There are limits to what we can do. We cannot give help to all. We cannot be physically present both here and there. In spirit, of course, we can be everywhere. This is exactly why you must convert your sensibilities into prayer. Something wonderful will happen then. Because you could take in your heart all those in need of help and place them at the Feet of Christ, who was crucified for you, for me, for all the world."
~ Gerontissa Gavriella

St Seraphim of Sarov - About God

Sun, 02 Apr 2006 10:50:24 GMT

From the Teachings of St. Seraphim of Sarov

About God

God is fire, warming and igniting the heart and inward parts. So, if we feel coldness in our hearts, which is from the devil (for the devil is cold), then let us call the Lord: He, in coming, will warm our heart with perfect love, not only towards Himself, but to our neighbors as well. And the coldness of the despiser of good will run from the face of His warmth.

Where there is God, there is no evil. Everything coming from God is peaceful, healthy and leads a person to the judgment of his own imperfections and humility.

God shows us His love for man not only in those instances when we do good, but also when we affront Him with our sins and anger Him. With what longsuffering he bears our lawlessness! "Do not call God a rightful Judge," says St. Isaac, "for His rightful judgment is not seen in your deeds. True, David called Him a righteous judge and rightly, but the Son of God has shown us that God is good and merciful even more. Where is His righteous judgment? We were sinners, but Christ died for us" (St. Isaac the Syrian, Word 90).